


19th Day of Winter - Snow Daze

by unjaundiced



Series: Winter Spirits [23]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 25 Days of Christmas, 25 Days of Fic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Fluff, Gen, Holiday, Kid Fic, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:32:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5422364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unjaundiced/pseuds/unjaundiced
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If the snow won't come to you... Make it.<br/>Set the year after Festivus. They're 17 and 18. Minato is 26. Pakkun is 11.</p>
            </blockquote>





	19th Day of Winter - Snow Daze

Kakashi's room was quiet save for the soft sound of breathing. He hated noises and refused to keep even a clock, complaining that the ticking hand of an analog clock or the electric pulses of a digital one were deafening and ruined his sleep. Personally his parents thought that he was just fishing for more excuses to be late, a habit he had picked up recently.  
  
Kakashi lay in the dim room, snuggled under his covers with his eyes closed. He wasn't sure what time it was and didn't really care. He knew it was cold out, that it was daytime, and there was a _really_ obnoxious grinding noise outside. He pulled his covers over his head and tucked Pug-kun under his chin before determinedly ignoring the noise and willing himself back to dreamland. He used the excuse that he was a teenager and a growing boy, and therefore would be tired constantly. His father would point to the ever-energetic Iruka and raise his eyebrow.  
  
The door to his room swung open silently and he carefully controlled his breathing, listening as someone made hushing noises before closing the door. There was a soft disjointed padding sound and Pakkun appeared at the side of the bed, grunting as he stiffly propped his small feet on it and started the steep climb up.  
  
"You're not supposed to be here,” Kakashi mumbled, braving the cold to scoop up his dog. “No dogs allowed on the furniture.”  
  
Pakkun grumbled low in his throat and snuggled into the crook of Kakashi's neck, pressing his cold damp nose into the warm skin there and sighing. Kakashi curled his hand around the graying dog's back and turned his face into the short fur with a soft sound, swallowing against a sudden tightness in his throat as he was suddenly reminded of just how _old_ the little dog was. At his age, the rules didn't seem to apply anymore.  
  
A soft snoring echoed through the room and Kakashi smiled sadly, closing his eyes. It was the weekend. It was okay to sleep in.  
  
  
The strange rumbling outside woke him up again later and this time Pakkun's body was hot, limbs loose from the warmth and sprawled out across Kakashi's arm. As Kakashi blinked awake, an obnoxious beeping joined the rumbling and he groaned, _really_ annoyed. He sat up slowly, trying not to wake the little pug and gently rolled him onto the comforter. Pakkun grunted and snored louder.  
  
Kakashi resisted the urge to shiver and peeked out his curtains, blinking at the bright gray daylight—and the black dust cloth that was shrouding his back yard. What the?—He groaned, not even wanting to know what was going on _this_ time. The last time the black fabric had been in the yard, Gai and Iruka had been using the space to hold plays for some of the children's hospital patients. Being forced to play Pokey to Gai's Gumby had _not_ been a pleasant nor repeatable experience.  
  
Kakashi grudgingly changed his clothes and went to brush his teeth, waking up a disoriented Pakkun when he turned on the water. He snorted at the accusing look the dog threw him and scooped him off the bed, propping him on one shoulder and gently cradling him by the chest with one hand as he made his way down the stairs. The little dog seemed to revel in the experience as he always did and leaned forward trustingly into Kakashi's hand, eyes bright and curious.  
  
"Oh, so the dead walks!” Nanori joked as she saw him come down the stairs. “You've missed most of the morning!”  
  
"If it's still morning then I haven't missed enough of it yet,” Kakashi mumbled, voice rough from sleep. “In fact, you could say that I'm early for tomorrow.”  
  
"There's a surprise in the yard,” his mother told him, handing him a bowl of donburi. “But eat first.”  
  
"Mah, I can take care of myself,” Kakashi drawled, carefully settling Pakkun on the floor. The old dog looked confused and miffed, planting his rear on Kakashi's feet.  
  
"I like taking care of you. It's my job.” Nanori patted him on the shoulder. “Even though you're more than capable of doing the job alone.”  
  
"So sappy,” Kakashi muttered, cheeks flushing as he hastily shoveled food in his mouth. “But thanks.”  
  
"Such a man,” she teased.  
  
"So what's the surprise anyhow?” Kakashi craned his neck and tried to see out the back.  
  
"What's a surprise if someone tells you ahead of time?” Minato piped up, poking his head in the back door. He waved the teen over.  
  
"The kind you know if you'll like or not.” Kakashi muttered, scooping the reluctant Pakkun into his arms and heading towards his cousin-in-law.  
  
"Such a Scrooge,” Minato grinned. Kakashi frowned.  
  
"Everyone keeps saying that.”  
  
"It's because you _are_ ,” Iruka shouted—the only warning Kakashi got before he was nailed with a snowball.  
  
"What! Not again!” Kakashi ducked as another one came flying his way, crouching to protect Pakkun.  
  
The yard was filled with snow. Seeing as how it _didn't_ snow anywhere near the area, that meant it was artificial snow and was either trucked in or made on site. As far as Iruka's ideas went, this was one of the more elaborate ones.  
  
His dogs cavorted in the yard, snowballs stuck to their fur and clumping on their butts. Iruka's foxes were clinging to the backs of the larger dogs, watching the snow with suspicion and panicking whenever the dogs moved. Naruto and his preschool cronies were building little snow forts under the watchful eye of some members of Class 12-A and 11-C and they _all_ had silly kigurumi on. Kakashi made a face at that. He never liked theme outfits and seeing so many reindeer in the yard was bringing back unpleasant memories of his brief stint as the glummest elf at Konoha.  
  
"Oi, Iruka,” he called, noticing tall mounds of snow by the trees. Gai was busy frantically building up a series of small piles around the tall figures. Kakashi pointed. “What's that?”  
  
Iruka turned to see what he was pointing at and grabbed Kakashi's arm, pulling him towards Gai. Kakashi resisted on principle. Never would he run gleefully with excitement towards the menace and could not let a rumor circulate that he _had ._  
  
"Ugh, Kakashi, you are always so _slow_ ,” Iruka complained, pulling with all his weight. Kakashi pulled back, just to be obnoxious.  
  
"Urgh, Kakashi!” Iruka dug his feet in and pulled harder. “Stop it!”  
  
"Okay.” Kakashi yanked his arm back and Iruka, instead of falling on his bottom so Kakashi could laugh at him like he'd planned, tumbled forward intohim and _he_ fell backwards with Iruka on top in an awkward tangle of limbs. Pakkun grumbled as they flailed in the snow and snootily kicked snow at them before waddling away, offended at his treatment.  
  
"Well that didn't work,” Kakashi mused, brushing snow out of his hair. Iruka slapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"You always make things so difficult,” the younger teen complained.  
  
"You mean I make things _interesting_ ,” the gray-haired boy offered with a grin. Iruka rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh hey, is that...” Kakashi slowly got to his feet and inspected the snow figures. As he neared the middle sized one he reached out, cold fingers tracing metal and smudging orange plastic.  
  
"Obito-kun's,” Iruka came up behind him. “Yeah, those are his. He would be about that height by now. I mean, he was never a big kid to begin with.”  
  
"I didn't know you had his snow goggles. He would be so mad if he knew,” Kakashi said quietly. He gently poked the garish accessory, smiling when he saw the plastic broom bristles sticking out of the snow-Obito's head. “He wouldn't like this haircut either.”  
  
"Hey, at least it's black. Nobody could make _your_ hair,” Iruka protested, flicking Kakashi's uniquely colored hair. He looked at a pink-haired child in the yard and murmured thoughtfully, “Though Sakura-chan is a little unique too.”  
  
Kakashi snorted. That girl was more than a little _unique_ and incredibly violent for such a small thing. He turned his attention to the two snow people standing next to snow-Obito, stick hands laced together. He smiled at the acorn cap rings on the stick hands and tilted his head surreptitiously to inspect Iruka. The other boy was beaming proudly.  
  
"Your parents too?”  
  
Iruka grinned even more broadly as Gai bounded over in a flurry of flying snow. The other boy had a crazy triple-pointed beanie on his head and was flushed with excitement. He opened his mouth and Kakashi knew things were going to get loud.  
  
"Kakashi-kun! You are so youthful to sleep like a baby so long and I approve that! It also gave us time to prepare!” Gai posed in an odd fashion, giving them a thumbs-up that seemed to scream LOOK AT ME!  
  
"Mah, I have no idea what you're talking about,” Kakashi mumbled, already starting to ignore the other boy. Gai sagged, then perked up as Pakkun started to growl. A miffed bark returned his growl; a high-pitched puppy's bark to be exact. Kakashi perked up.  
  
A grumpy looking Pakkun waddled towards him on stiff legs and imperiously planted a paw on his shoe, turning to look behind him with a sniff. A jet black pug puppy bounced from behind snow-Ikkaku and landed on Pakkun's back. The old pug's eyes bulged and he leaned into Kakashi, making a slightly pathetic sound. He seemed to make a face at himself for that.  
  
"A puppy?” Kakashi looked at Gai who shrugged sheepishly, pointing at Iruka.  
  
"Well, Pakkun is getting on in years so—I mean I _know_ they say not to get people pets for Christmas—but we thought that you and she could have a little time to get to know each other.” Iruka hesitated. “And I kind of like her too and now would be a good time since we've got everyone together so we can take a family photo and you and Gai-kun and everyone else will be graduating next year.”  
  
Kakashi looked at Pakkun who was giving him a dour stare and did not seem all that impressed with the new dog. Kakashi shrugged and looked at the snow people. “Family photo, hm?”  
  
He crouched down and held out a hand. The puppy minced towards him and plopped on her bottom before placing her paw in his hand. Kakashi grinned and shook it. “Welcome to the family, Pacchan.”  
  
Pakkun moaned.

* * *

  
  
**OMAKE**

  
Jiraiya eagerly dug through his mail, searching for the envelope containing the most recent edit to his latest manuscript. His eyes were red-rimmed and he looked a little wired, having been on an almost strictly coffee-and-cake diet for the past 34 hours as he hurried to dash off the last chapter for his latest deadline.  
  
"Bill. Bill. Advert. Bill. Christmas card from Oro-chan. People asking for money. University. University. Bill. Photographic card...”  
  
He paused, did a mental rewind, and picked up the bromide card, an unusually large B5 sized production encased in a clear plastic envelope. His crazy cousin, his crazy cousin's wife, son and all their crazy dogs, their crazy son's best friends, Tsunade,  _Tsunade's_ crazy cousin and _her_ husband, _their_ kid, a bunch of kids from the school dressed as reindeer for some reason, and a bunch of snow people were framed within the festive margins. He frowned and dropped the rest of the mail, absently picking up the phone and hitting 1 on the speed dial.  
  
"Hello?” Sakumo answered, sounding distracted.  
  
"You jerk!” Jiraiya yelped. “Why wasn't _I_ invited for this picture!”

**Author's Note:**

> This work was originally posted on Livejournal in 2011 as part of the annual 12 or 25 Days of Christmas challenge. The story takes place by years and utilises Japanese honourifics as a necessity. I tried to use canonical names wherever possible and created original character names as needed.
> 
> Due to the conditions at the time, the writing is a bit clunky but will largely remain unedited.
> 
>  
> 
>  **Vocab Notes**  
>  Chan - If you remember the explanation for Pakkun then Pacchan is the same. When you add "chan" to an abbreviated name, the glottal stop forces a second "c" to be added. Pacchan is Pah-[gu]-chan.


End file.
